What will I learn about: how decades of economic and cultural divisions turned the American political landscape into a combustible 'wildland' that fueled the January 6 insurrection?

Discover how decades of economic and cultural divisions turned the American political landscape into a combustible 'wildland' that fueled the January 6 insurrection.

What will I learn about: how Greenwich, Connecticut transformed from a town of moderation into an epicenter of hyper-wealth, reflecting a broader national shift toward unchecked corporate greed?

Understand how Greenwich, Connecticut transformed from a town of moderation into an epicenter of hyper-wealth, reflecting a broader national shift toward unchecked corporate greed.

What will I learn about: Trace the disintegration of the moderate Republican establishment from the 1960s onward as the party increasingly embraced libertarian fringes and populist disruptors?

Trace the disintegration of the moderate Republican establishment from the 1960s onward as the party increasingly embraced libertarian fringes and populist disruptors.

What will I learn about: Learn why formerly thriving industrial towns like Clarksburg, West Virginia collapsed into hollowed-out communities plagued by population flight and exploitative mining practices?

Learn why formerly thriving industrial towns like Clarksburg, West Virginia collapsed into hollowed-out communities plagued by population flight and exploitative mining practices.

What will I learn about: Recognize the severe consequences of America's widening inequality gap as the ultra-rich separate themselves from the rest of the country through exclusive access to wealth, healthcare, and education?

Recognize the severe consequences of America's widening inequality gap as the ultra-rich separate themselves from the rest of the country through exclusive access to wealth, healthcare, and education.

Wildland

The Making of America's Fury

Evan Osnos

★ 3.3 / 5(37 ratings)

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Categories:

Politics Society & Culture

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Have you ever wondered how the fates of a billionaire enclave in Connecticut, a struggling town in West Virginia, and the heart of Chicago are secretly intertwined?
💡Did you know that the path to the January 6th insurrection actually began with the political and cultural shifts triggered by the 9/11 attacks?
💡Are you curious about the hidden forces that transformed America from a nation of shared identity into a landscape of deep-seated division and 'wildland'?

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Key Takeaways from Wildland

✓Discover how decades of economic and cultural divisions turned the American political landscape into a combustible 'wildland' that fueled the January 6 insurrection.
✓Understand how Greenwich, Connecticut transformed from a town of moderation into an epicenter of hyper-wealth, reflecting a broader national shift toward unchecked corporate greed.
✓Trace the disintegration of the moderate Republican establishment from the 1960s onward as the party increasingly embraced libertarian fringes and populist disruptors.
✓Learn why formerly thriving industrial towns like Clarksburg, West Virginia collapsed into hollowed-out communities plagued by population flight and exploitative mining practices.
✓Recognize the severe consequences of America's widening inequality gap as the ultra-rich separate themselves from the rest of the country through exclusive access to wealth, healthcare, and education.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Wildland

Mind Map

Wildland

The Three Cities (Microcosms)+

Political & Cultural Shifts+

Establishment Failures+

The Trump Era+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 9

What does the title 'Wildland' refer to in the context of the book?

A. The literal destruction of American forests due to climate change and poor land management.
B. The American political landscape that became highly combustible due to decades of inequality and division.
C. The unregulated nature of Wall Street hedge funds in the early 2000s.
D. The rural areas of West Virginia that were abandoned by the coal industry.

Question 2 of 9

How did the culture of wealth in Greenwich, Connecticut shift from the early 1900s to the 2000s?

A. It transitioned from a culture of conspicuous consumption to one emphasizing philanthropy and modesty.
B. It shifted from valuing 'courage and thrift' to embracing extreme, Gilded Age-style opulence.
C. It moved away from Wall Street finance to primarily tech-based entrepreneurial wealth.
D. It abandoned high-risk hedge funds in favor of conservative, long-term manufacturing investments.

Question 3 of 9

According to the book, what strategic pivot did conservative leaders advocate for after Mitt Romney's election loss in 2012?

A. Moving further to the left to win over minority and moderate voters.
B. Focusing exclusively on suburban women by adopting progressive social policies.
C. Winning over unenthusiastic, 'missing' white voters through a populist disruptor.
D. Returning to the moderate, pro-government policies championed by early Republicans like Prescott Bush.

Question 4 of 9

What was a major consequence of the collapse of local newspapers in places like Clarksburg, West Virginia?

A. A resurgence of community-funded town hall meetings.
B. An increase in civic engagement as citizens sought out their own independent information.
C. A shift toward nationalized, emotion-driven news that eroded social cohesion.
D. A widespread return to radio broadcasting for local political updates.

Question 5 of 9

What does the story of Reese from Chicago's South Side primarily illustrate?

A. The success of the Great Migration in providing equal opportunities for Black Americans.
B. The positive impact of federal funding on inner-city high school sports programs.
C. The effectiveness of modern housing policies in reversing 20th-century redlining.
D. How historical segregation and failing public schools contribute to a cycle of incarceration.

Question 6 of 9

According to the text, when and why did modern American gun culture, centered on self-defense and tactical gear, actually begin?

A. In the 1970s, when the NRA needed a new marketing strategy to combat dropping sales.
B. During the days of the Wild West, as a necessary means of frontier survival.
C. Immediately after September 11, 2001, in response to the threat of global terrorism.
D. In the 1990s, as a direct reaction to the rise of right-wing talk radio hosts.

Question 7 of 9

How did the cultural depiction of the American working class change from the 1930s to the 1990s?

A. It evolved from portraying them as uneducated laborers to depicting them as sophisticated tech innovators.
B. It shifted from heroic, dignified figures to incompetent or prejudiced caricatures like Homer Simpson.
C. It remained consistently positive, reflecting the steady growth of union power.
D. It transitioned from focusing on rural farmers to celebrating urban service workers.

Question 8 of 9

How did Wall Street investors and coal companies like Patriot Coal respond when their financial bets on the coal market failed?

A. They pivoted to investing heavily in green energy initiatives in Appalachia.
B. They successfully petitioned the government for a massive taxpayer bailout to save local jobs.
C. They implemented severe cost-cutting measures, including using bankruptcy courts to deny health insurance to retired miners.
D. They increased wages for active miners to prevent a mass exodus of the workforce.

Question 9 of 9

Which of the following best describes Donald Trump's approach to the federal government during his presidency, as outlined in the book?

A. He vastly expanded the federal workforce to tackle infrastructure projects.
B. He implemented an agenda of deconstruction, deliberately leaving hundreds of jobs unfilled and driving out workers.
C. He focused primarily on strengthening civil service protections to prevent political turnover.
D. He centralized all local government functions under strict federal oversight.

Wildland — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2Greenwich, Connecticut became the center of a new capitalist vision.
3The Republican Party’s moderate side started collapsing from the mid-1960s forward.
4Clarksburg, West Virginia has turned into a shadow of what it once was.
5Chicago, Illinois stands as a stark reminder of Black Americans’ plight.
6Donald Trump and the GOP tapped into white and working class people’s darkest fears.
7American rage grew as the political establishment increasingly failed.
8Throughout his presidency, Trump pursued a program of destruction.
9The COVID-19 crisis and Black Lives Matter exposed a deeply broken system.
10Twenty years of growing inequality, anger, and cynicism climaxed in the January 6 insurrection.

Wildland Summary & Overview

Wildland (2021) recounts the story of how America became unraveled throughout the first two decades of the twenty-first century. Drawing on stories from residents of three US cities –⁠ Greenwich, Connecticut; Clarksburg, West Virginia; and Chicago, Illinois –⁠ it examines the undercurrents of change that tie together the fates of these varied landscapes. Finally, it describes how the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 laid the foundation for the violent insurrection on January 6, 2021.

Who Should Listen to Wildland?

Americans trying to make sense of the changes in their country
Students of American politics and culture
Activists looking for a holistic picture of the grievances of average Americans

About the Author: Evan Osnos

Evan Osnos is a journalist who has worked as a staff writer at the New Yorker since 2008. Previously, he worked for the Chicago Tribune – first as a metro reporter and then as a national and foreign correspondent stationed in the Middle East and China. His book Age of Ambition won the 2014 National Book Award for nonfiction and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

Wildland

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Wildland — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Wildland

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Wildland — Full Chapter Overview

Wildland Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Wildland?

About the Author: Evan Osnos

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